The Ohio Historical Center, which opened in 1970, is a prime example of a style of architecture known as brutalism.

The Ohio History Center is the Society’s headquarters at 800 E. 17th Ave. Since it opened in 1970 the Center has captured the interest of visitors and caught the eye of people driving by on Interstate 71. A prime example of brutalist architecture, the building itself has become an artifact to be preserved. Updates and changes to the building are in keeping with it’s architectural character.

Exterior view of a Lustron house, a pre-fabricated, porcelain-enameled steel house that was manufactured in Columbus, Ohio.

Lustron houses were built in Columbus between 1948 and 1951. Constructed of porcelain-enameled steel, they were meant to be erected quickly and help fill the high demand for residential housing after World War II. At around 1,000 square feet, the houses were small by contemporary standards. A Lustron house is the center piece of the new exhibit 1950s: Building the American Dream.